Stupid Fowers
by hobbits on the island
Summary: Aaron helps Sawyer with his communication skills, mainly with Kate. Oneshot.


**Title:** Stupid Flowers

**Author: **hobbits on the island

**Author's Note: **So I finally got off my arse and started posting on this poorly neglected account... I tried making this Aaron/Sawyer bonding moment, but eh...it turned out really fluffy. And Skatish. It's loosely based on something that happened to me before and it's set sometime in the future...with no Juliet, methinks. Not the most brilliant piece of work but I try.

* * *

Walks were always best saved for late afternoon, preferrably after supper. The sun was making its way to the horizon, so the white sand was cool and felt good on little feet. The breeze would sweep through the camp and things settled to a more comfortable pace for the toddler. 

Aaron cautiously stumbled over the sand, no longer needing encouragements from his mother to make his way about, who was watching from a distance, ready to assist if needed. The world was so much bigger now that Aaron could get about independantly. But he was a bright kid; he wouldn't get into that much trouble. Hopefully.

After pausing for a second to examine a clump of bushes, Aaron made his way toward the blue tarp a ways from the other tents, under which Sawyer stretched, reading a paperback.

"'Wer!" Aaron called. He tried again, but couldn't make the right sound. "'Wer!"

"Huh?" Sawyer looked over the paperback to see a pair of bright blue eyes peering back at him from the end of the airplane seat.

"Ah-wer."

"Hey! Someone lose a kid?" Sawyer's eyes searched the camp until they came to rest on Kate, talking to Jack by the dying kitchen fire.

When was the last time Sawyer had talked to her?

"Ah-wer!" Aaron was beginning to get annoyed with the fact that his presence was being ignored.

"C'mon kid, go bug someone else."

Aaron advanced, using the edge of the chair for support, towards Sawyer's elbow.

"I got nothin' here for you, Bam-Bam. Go to your mom."

"'Wer!" Aaron insisted.

"Go to Charlie, then. Or your uncle. Go on, go annoy Doc, kid."

Finally reaching Sawyer, Aaron thrust his hand out in front of him and repeated exasperatedly, "Ah-wer!"

There, in his small palm, lay a moist, crumpled flower with several pale petals.

"Oh, flower. Great. I'm blushing." He could hear Jack and Kate laughing at some inside joke from the fire. He suddenly wished for a cigarette. He really wanted a cigarette. Right now. Did he have any left?

"Ah-wer," Aaron said again matter-of-factly, noticing that Sawyer was, once again, ignoring him. He proceeded to the petals from the half-dead flower and place them in Sawyer's hand. Sawyer watched him in amusement.

"Loves me, loves me not, huh, kid? Sorry to break it to you, Romeo, but you're kinda young for me."

"F'r you," Aaron answered happily, plucking off another petal.

Sawyer started to absent-mindedly count the petals in his hand, only half-focusing on his book.

_Loves me..._

_Loves me not..._

_Loves me... loves me not..._

_Loves me._

"Aaron, hey!" Sawyer looked up, startled. Kate was walking towards them, a smile playing on her lips. "Having fun?"

Aaron dropped the flower and excitedly extended his arms to Kate.

"Uppie!" he begged.

"Was he bothering you?" Kate asked Sawyer as she hoisted the toddler into the air.

"Naw, he was just..." Sawyer closed his fist over the limp petals and swallowed. "Where's the Doc?"

Kate brushed some sand off Aaron's clonde curls. "Checking Charlie's stitches."

There was a pause.

"So, how've you been, Freckles?"

"Fine. I haven't seen you around-"

She was cut short as Aaron wriggled in her arms and whined, "Mummie!"

Kate sighed. "I better get him back to Claire, then. Sorry we interrupted you, Sawyer. See you around."

Sawyer watched her go, walf-wishing he would walk there with her. He sighed and settled back in his chair, still craving cigarettes. As he picked up his book, he noticed there was one small, crumpled petal left on the flower lying on his lap. He picked it off half-heartedly.

_Loves me not._

Sawyer scowled. Why should he give a damn about the flower's opinion?

He got up and headed for Claire's tent, tossing the petals aside.

Stupid flowers.


End file.
